Sun Mote Copse i'm the pretender, i'm not what i'm supposed to be

for a moment a thought (was she mine?) darkened the chime of his laugh; he watched meerkat go with quiet amusement. when was the last time he had been possessed of such energy? even her swipe, while playful, carried with it a powerful current of youth and joy -- when had his life taken such a stark turn away from that?

with towhee's blessing arcturus moved after the bounding child. he got the impression perhaps towhee wanted some time alone, and somehow, playing with a child seemed easier than navigating the minefield that was talking to her. "hey, hold up!" arcturus sped up behind the sprinting puppy, taking in the refreshing scent of the woods and the green. he needed this -- this momentary lapse of reality -- and meerkat's sunny demeanor was the perfect distraction to chase his less pleasant thoughts away.

"so, what do you know about patrolling?" the ostrega asked, swapping to a smooth prowl as he caught up to the tawny guardsman. he gave her a very serious look so she would know he appreciated her (important) presence; after all, without her here alongside him who would protect him if they came across ogres or goblins on the trail?